Friday, July 30, 2010

Linux Mint 9 LXDE is a great distribution for older hardware. Very fast, more complete out of the box than other LXDE distros I've tried, and similar enough to XP to be easy for Linux newbies to be able to utilize. (Not that I consider XP the gold standard, just ubiquitous.)

Installing:

As this was a test install, I ran it inside VMWare Player. Installed in English, then added and changed to Spanish language using the Language Support application. Installed all updates. Of course I installed VMWare tools to make video resolution and switching between operating systems run smoother. Update: Installed a second time straight on a computer to create a distribution disk from.

Users:

Maestra is installed as the principal user with Admin privileges.

Listo will be used as the non privileged child user.

General Changes:

Auto Login = modify system so login happens automatically. LXDE doesn't have a GUI tool for this, so changing the configuration file as follows is needed. For setup the Admin user was used. This is changed to the child user after setup is complete.

run command: sudo nano /etc/xdg/lxdm/lxdm.conf

this opens the configuration file to edit

delete the # and space before the autologin and session lines and change the autologin user to the desired user

since you are there, you can set the numbers lock to on if desired by removing the # and set numlock=1

ctrl-o to save (write out) and ctrl-x to exit

Number of Desktops = change the number of destops as multiple desktops easily confuse novice linux users

Open Openbox Configuration Manager

On the Desktops tab, set the number of desktops to 1

Uninstall Unneeded programs

Chestnut dialer (multiple packets) - for dialup Internet connections

Transmission (multiple packets) - bittorrent client

Add Other User Accounts and include into Existing Groups

The following users and groups are desired and added as described:

listo - general purpose and default user

maestra - instructor user already created and used as general purpose admin

The goal here is to make shared locations that all users can access then to give appropriate permissions to these folders. First create the directories:

[sudo mkdir /share] make share directory for the following sub-directories

[sudo mkdir /share/musica] make directory for music

[sudo mkdir /share/foto] make directory for fotos

[sudo mkdir /share/wiki] make directory for wikipedia content

[sudo mkdir /share/biblia] make directory for bible study content

Now modify rights.

[sudo chown -R itadmin.users /share] This changes the ownership on all these directories to itadmin along with changing the associated group to users, which now includes everyone. Of course -R makes this recursive to all subdirectories.

[sudo chmod -R a+rwx /share] this changes the rights for all (file owners, groups and other) to allow read, write and execute, basically opening up access to everyone.

[sudo chmod -R +t /share] This puts the "sticky bit" on for these directories which disallows different users from deleting or renaming another user's files or directories. This will allow us to add content as itadmin or maestra user that the listo user will not be able to delete or corrupt. We can use this for adding wiki content to the wiki directory and bible content to the biblia directory. We will set the user to these files as itadmin, then only itadmin (or maestra as super user) will be able to delete these files. It will also allow the listo user to add and delete photos and music to the corresponding directories or additional wikis or bible content for that matter.

[sudo ls -l /share] this shows the long form of the list of directories which allows us to verify correct configuration. Should look as follows:

drwxrwxrwt 2 itadmin users ....... biblia

drwxrwxrwt 2 itadmin users ....... foto

drwxrwxrwt 2 itadmin users ....... musica

drwxrwxrwt 2 itadmin users ....... wiki

Tricky Programs & Those Requiring configuration:

Childsplay: A current problem with Childsplay is loading it to run other language sounds. First step to download the Spanish Language sounds for Childsplay. Open Synaptic manager and select/install the the package "childsplay-alphabet-sounds-es". You need to modify the menu to run the command "language=es childsplay" to run it with Spanish as the spoken language. In Gnome, this is as easy as entering the Menu program, then changing the command for opening Childsplay. In LXDE it is a bit more difficult to modify the menu.

Open a terminal session and enter "gksu pcmanfm" which opens PCMan File manager as super user.

Navigate to /usr/share/applications

Open childsplay.desktop with Leappad or another text editor

Change the Exec line to "Exec=LANGUAGE=es childsplay" or "Exec=childsplay --language=es" These are two command options used to open the program (Be careful to use all caps for "LANGUAGE" or this command will not work.

Dosbox: For playing old dos games and programs. For now, not installing any old DOS games, but am including this program for possible future inclusion of old DOS programs on older computers.

iTalc: classroom computer management software

For now I just installed iTalc client. To use it correctly I would need to setup public and private keys. I will do this for the next remaster. (can be done to each computer after installing as well, just takes more time :)

see my instructions in another blog for iTalc install including public and private key distribution.

Kiwix: I debated whether to include Kiwix or Okawix in this remaster, but decided on Kiwix based mostly on current stability. Both options show promise, but for now Kiwix is a great option for offline Spanish Wikipedia. See my other blog comparing the two.

Because of the size of the zim file, I am not including it in the remastered image, but will add it to the cloned image.

login as itadmin

download the Spanish Wikipedia zim from the kiwix web page.

move to the /share/wiki directory

set owner as follows [sudo chown -R itadmin.users /share/wiki/]

give read permission at the group level

log in as each user, open the Wikipedia zim file and choose to index it, which must be done for each user and takes some time. This way it will be ready to use on each computer.

Play on Linux: Installed this package to make it easier in case there are Windows programs that are seen as a must have without a good Linux counterpart. They can then be installed afterwards as needed.

Khelpcenter: Install this package so the KDE applications installed have access to their help files. Otherwise Klavaro, et all produce an error when clicking on help.

BibleTime: Need to download books and references after installing.

The first step is to create a shared directory for common media shared between users. See above to complete this.

create shared directory as described above

open BibleTime then open its book administrator

click on the tool to edit installation directories and add /share/bible directories to the install directories

Login as all users to add this directory to the installed directories

Selected a few bibles from the CrossWire list and installed them to the /share/biblia directory. I did this as itadmin so I did not need to change user ownership rights and with the sticky bits only the itadmin would be able to delete these files.

This was giving some trouble, so also logged in as maestra and listo and downloaded bibles and commentaries for each user separately into the default directory of each user.

Included the GLOSSARY Ergane "Spanish to English Glossary" This give a quick translation from Spanish to English.

Educational Programs Installed

Atomix - game for constructing molecules

BibleTime - see install notes above

Childsplay - see install notes above

El Pequeno Mago (little wizard) - introduction to programming using actions to move a clown... Great program with decent Spanish translation

KBruch - practice exercises with fractions

KTurtle - introduction to programming using scripts to move a turtle

Kalzium - periodic table of elements

Kiwix - see install notes above

Klavaro - typing tutorial with good Spanish support

KmPlot - graphing program

Marble - simple off line globe showing countries, capitals and major cities

Setllarium - real time star chart

Tux Paint - painting program for young chidren

Tux Typing - fun typing practice game

TuxMath -fun math practice game

Drawing Programs Installed

GIMP Image Editor - advanced drawing program

Inkscape - vector drawing

OpenOffice.org Dibujos - OpenOffice drawing program

Scribus - Desktop publishing

Multimedia Programs Installed

Picasa - popular photo editing & viewing program

the default programs for the rest

Office Programs Installed

Chromium - a fast Web browser

FreeMind - mind mapping program

OpenOffice - full open office suite

Internet Programs Installed

included programs: chestnut Dialer

Chromium web browser

Ballz - sim

Games Installed

Aisleroit Solitaire - a group of solitaire card games under a common interface

Atomix - educational puzzle creating molecules from elements

Ballz - simple Indy platform game

BZFlag - Multiplayer Tank battle game works on somewhat older macines

Berusky - Ladybug puzzle game

BurgerSpace - classic arcade game

Chess (glchess) - faster chess game for slower computer

Childsplay (also under Educaton)

Emulator DOSBox - see notes above - for running old DOS games

Enigma - puzzle game controlling marble with the mouse

FloboPuyo - clone of puyopuyo, similar to tetris

Freeciv - Civilization game for Linux (installed gtk client)

Frozen-Bubble - entertaining marble matching game

Gamine - Game for VERY young children teaching mouse usage by sounds and colors

gbrainy - logic game in English (prior version was translated) but very good game

Gweled - like Diamond Mine

glTron - Tron bike game

gPlanarity - game of untangling lines

LBreakout2 - breakout clone

Maelstrom - arcade game like Asteroids

Mahjongg (gnome-mahjongg) - classic

Mastermind - similar to the classic logic testing board game

Mines - just like Mines for other platforms

Monsterz - arcade puzzle like Bejeweled

Moon-lander - ship landing game

Nibbles (gnibbles) - simple worm game my daughter loves

OpenTTD - transport tycoon with good Spanish translation

Pingus - game like lemmings but with penguins - great Spanish translation

Play on Linux - see separate section

Quadrapassel - falling block game like Tetris

Ri-li - toy train simulator with fun game play and excellent translation

Secret Maryo Chronicles (SMC) - platform Super Mario clone

Sudoku (gnome-sudoku) - numbers & logic game

Suite educativa GCompris - educational games for young children

SuperTux-stable - Mario like platform (older version for older hardware)

Tremulous - combination RTS & FPS with great reviews and works on older hardware

Warzone 2100 - real time strategy with decent translation and works on somewhat dated hardware

Follow directions above to change number of desktops for the "listo" user. Need to login to listo.

Auto-login

Follow directions above to change auto-login to the "listo" user.

De-select the box to pull up the Linux Mint Welcome panel on startup for the "listo" user.

SSH

for future support reasons install openssh server

login as itadmin

[sudo apt-get install openssh-server]

Remastersys - making a remastered install disk

Install remastersys

[sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list] This opens the apt sources to append the remastersys source

Add the following lines to the file: the first line is a comment, the second the correct source

#Remastersys

deb http://www.geekconnection.org/remastersys/repository karmic/

[sudo apt-get update]

[sudo apt-get install remastersys]

Run remastersys - we will want to run as a full backup so that users, passwords and user data will be saved and transmitted to the new computers. This can either be run through the GUI front end found in Preferences/Remastersys backup or by the command [sudo remastersys backup] Here is a link to further information

After burning the DVD, you can live boot another computer. The menu option for directly installing from disk was not working. Once the system is booted in live mode, you need to log off and log on as another user with admin privelages (auto boot set to boot into listo user with no privelages).

switch users to Maestra user

open home folder

double click on the Install shortcut

language and time zone choices are not important as the system installs the options in the remastered image instead of what is chosen here.

Reboot after installation, removing install disk when prompted

Log off and back on as Maestra (need privelaged user)

Install any updates

Remove the following broken programs

gltron

gplanarity

Add the following programs (last minute addition - games that work well on older computers)

slingshot

pyracerz (Py Racerz)

tomatoes (I have no tomatoes)

Copy Wikipedia image from other computer

I saved this on a particular computer in directory /home/username/share